Sincere apologies and greatest thank-yous to everyone who is still reading, and still wanting to read. It's been a bumpy ride, but here I am to add more to the story. Updates are going to be slow. I appreciate your patience and hope this isn't too out-of-character. xoxo


As soon as she heard Rei-chan's heart-wrenching screams, she scrambled to her feet. Tried to reach for the exotic beauty, run to her with all of her strength, out-stretching her arm in fear of what was happening. In the fear of losing her. "REI-CHAN!" She tried to prevent it.

But, a bright light and strong force instantly emitted from the ravennette, knocking the Rabbit back onto on her bottom. Four forks pierced through the air, pinning either one of the rear wings on her fuku to the ground, as well as each of her pink puff sleeves. As much as she attempted to struggle, it seemed that her efforts were useless.

The luminescence disappeared, and the blonde turned her head to the side to look upon her best friend's body in awe-struck horror. It dangled in the air, inches from the ground, just a few feet away from her, held by an imaginary force. From the miko's bosom, a large, red, purple, and black origami-looking Casablanca flower had been summoned outward, forcefully pulled from its natural residence inside of her. It now hovered in front of her chest, outside her pale, motionless body and blood-dried shirt, a mystical thing. Glistening in the evening sun, while her eyes had become soulless and her face had become expressionless.

The monster who had been the catalyst of it all, PakuPaku, was overtly delighted in light of this new situation. A situation HE had created, as he continued to stand before her body as he had the entire time. Drool covered his mouth, and he rubbed his big, round, yellow belly with his spare hand, while looking at the Red Target's PERSONAFLOWER with hearts in his eyes. It was a rare one. "PEERRSOOONAA FLOOWWEEERRRR." He licked his lips, and thanked MISTRESS ERIS for the meal he was about to consume.

Usagi's blue eyes widened in realization of what was happening. Of what was about to happen. "NO! Leave her alone, you nasty monster!" The odangoed senshi panicked, knowing that, if she didn't do something soon, Rei-chan would be... no. She couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't.

She tried harder to wiggle her way out of her pinned state of affairs, trying to budge out of the stupid forks that held her down to the ground.

PakuPaku raised his fork up high.

She gasped. No. No. Tears brimmed her eyes. She needed to protect her friend. She couldn't let that.. that.. thing... take her personaflower. A combination of worry, anger, and fear coursed through her. "I said... leeeaave her alooone!" She shrieked.

Suddenly, a sonic wave generated from her red odango hair assortments, and rippled through the air - completely disintegrating the pointed utensils that held her in place, and slamming PakuPaku away from Rei-chan, into a nearby car. The Moon Senshi blinked before realizing that she, in fact, had been the one to cause the sonic disruption, and was now able to move freely. She took full advantage, jumping to her feet, fully ready to get rid of that ridiculous youma once and for all!

That is... until, of course, she held her hands up. One moment passed. Two moments. Three. "Nani..?" She blinked, and her face contorted into a confused expression when her sceptre didn't appear in her palm. But, then she remembered... she'd dropped it... when PakuPaku had run into her earlier! Her blue orbs hastily scanned the grounds around her, frantically searching for the pink and white weapon before the round monstrosity was able to get up and throw more forks in her direction.

"Sailor Moon!"

She glanced up at the sound of the masculine voice. Blue eyes lit up as they met masked ones, shaded by a black top-hat, standing atop a lamp-post like the dark angel he was. "Tuxedo Mask!"

"Catch!"

It was then that she noticed there had been something in his hand. He tossed it down to her, and she held her hands out as the twirling stick landed into her palms. It was only until the item was in her possession did she realize what it was. "My sceptre!"

"Now is no time for celebration - Watch out!"

That's when she heard the pounding foot-steps of the youma approaching, and turned to see it charging for her like he had before. "PAKUPKAU WILL GEEEEEEETT YOOOUUUUUUU."

Her eyes hardened with determination as she held her weapon up to the sky. She wasn't going to lose this time.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

Streams of golden light radiated toward the youma instantly. His eyes widened as strings of purifying feathers engulfed him. "ITTEKIMAAASSSSU!" He was surrounded by spectrum of rainbow light... and then, just like that, he was consumed by golden light. Gone.

Tuxedo Mask jumped down from the height he had occupied, and landed beside his future wife. His eyes gravitated toward the shrine maiden, who had been suspended in the air. "Look."

His finger pointed toward the girl, whose PersonaFlower floated back into her bosom, and back into her body, bringing color to her cheeks and life into her eyes. No longer being held off the ground, the dark-haired woman fell forward.

"Rei-chan!" Sailor Moon gasped, taking no time to run toward her dear friend with her arms out wide, catching her before her face could hit the ground. She turned the ravennette over in her arms, whose eyes lids were now closed. "Rei-chan! Wake up!" She shook her a little.

No response.

"Rei-chan! It's okay now. The youma's gone... I saved you!" She shook her a little harder in her arms, and waited a moment.

No response.

The Masked Man walked over to her, placing a gloved hand on her shoulder in support, already suspecting the worse.

The moon senshi began to tear up. "C-Come on, Rei-chan. You have to open your eyes!" Her voice cracked. Her PersonaFlower had returned to her. She had to be back to normal.

They waited a couple more moments.

She didn't open her eyes or move a single limb. She continued to lie still in the blonde's arms, not responding.

"R-Rei-chan! Please! You have to wake up!... F-For me... right?!" The Rabbit pleaded, gripping onto the black-haired senshi in denial. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She can't be gone. She just... she can't be! She's Sailor Mars. She's my best friend. She's my...my...

And... almost as if on cue, Rei Hino's amethyst eyes fluttered open as she slowly came to. "Usagi?..."

And, in that moment, Usagi Tsukino immediately became the happiest person alive. A broad smile painted her features. "REI-CHAN!" She exclaimed in relief, hugging the blonde through her elated tears. "I'm SO GLAD you're OKAY!"

- x -

The miko winced from a sharp pain she couldn't quite pin-point, but did her best to hug her blonde friend back through the minor infliction she was experiencing. She still felt slightly disoriented, confused about what was going on and wasn't entirely sure what had happened before to make the Odango cry so much, but couldn't complain about having Usagi in her arms. Instead, she felt herself smiling back. She felt... free. "Yeah. Me, too."

She could have stayed like that forever. But, of course, after a moment too long, came the interjection of none other than Tuxedo Mask. She could feel that his voice and gaze were directed toward her, although she did not look up. "We should probably get back so that we can get you fixed up."

The Rabbit and The Priestess parted, and Rei found herself glancing down at her purple dress, in which her stomach had stained the mid-area of it crimson, and both girls nodded in agreement. It was a grotesque sight to behold. Not to mention, it was still pulsing, and was probably on the edge of being infected... so much for using utensils ever again.

That's when it all came back to her. That stupid, annoying youma had stabbed her. With a damn fork no less. She had tried to protect Usagi, and then- all she remembered was feeling agony. Pain. More agony. And, then... nothing. Her eyebrows met one another and her face became serious. What... exactly... had happened after she had told Usagi to run?

Sailor Moon helped her up, wrapping her right arm around her waist, while Rei dangled her left arm around Sailor Moon's neck for support. Luna, who had been knocked out unconscious the entire fight, had been scooped up by Tuxedo Mask, who tried his best to be gentle to the poor black feline.

On the way home, her two rescuers filled her in on the missing pieces of her amnesic puzzle. But, even after being told what had happened - that she, apparently, had had her Persona Flower extracted and had basically been soulless corpse - she couldn't help but feel like she was forgetting something. That she had experienced something else... something different, than what her two friends had described.

- x -